Maa ki dal recipe with step by step photos – At home all my folks are fond of black lentils (black gram or kali urad dal) or Punjabi kali dal recipe. This delicious and creamy Punjabi lentil dish is made with whole black gram (sabut urad dal), onions, tomatoes and the usual Indian spices. Comforting, filling and satisfying meal when served with phulka, roti, paratha or naan.
In Punjabi these are called Mah di dal or maa di dal or manh di daal. At home everybody called whole black lentils as maa di dal.
Maa ki dal is also known as kali dal, but it is not dal makhani. So let me tell you what is the difference between maa ki dal and dal makhani.
Maa ki dal or kali dal is made from whole black grams (black dal or kali urad dal or sabut urad dal) only. There are many ways of making this black gram dal recipe. It can be spicy or bland as well. It is also not a very rich and heavy dish as no extra cream, butter is added to it.
Whereas Dal makhani is made from a mix of whole black grams, kidney beans (rajma), and some times chana dal. It is a rich dish as it is made with butter, cream and sometimes yogurt too. It is a makhani dish.
Makhani means buttery. The word makhani is derived from the Punjabi word Makhan which means Butter. So dal makhani is a buttery creamy rich dish.
So kali dal or maa ki dal is not dal makhani. They are two different dishes. Just to let you know There is another Punjabi dish called maa chole di dal – this is made from black lentils and chana dal. It is a staple at my home.
Usually, at home I cook Dal fry, Dal tadka, various sabjis, pulao, khichdi, idlis, dosa, sambar. For me these are simple, comforting foods.
This recipe of kali dal is a light recipe with a spicy touch to it. I have made this with sunflower oil and no butter or ghee. For a more richer version you can make it with butter or ghee. You could also add some cream in the end if you prefer.
The main ingredients of this star dish besides whole black gram are onions, green chilies, tomato puree and crushed ginger-garlic sauteed with Indian spices.
Generally maa ki daal is cooked and simmered in a pot. In a modern day life we don’t have the luxury and leisure to let our dals cook in pots. The black lentils take a lot of time to cook in a pot.
I have cooked the dal in a stovetop pressure cooker. It is a quick cooking method and what might take hours, just gets done in 30 to 40 minutes. If you have Instant pot then you can also make this dish in it adding water as needed.
Also remember to use fresh lentils as they cook faster compared to aged lentils. I also recommend to soak the lentils for some minutes prior to cooking. Soaking lentils reduces the cooking time and also helps in getting rid of the phytic acid in them.
Maa ki dal goes very well with rotis, naan and even rice. So if you are fond of Punjabi dishes, then do try this awesome kali dal recipe. You and your family are going to love it. You don’t have to trust me. You have to make this at home and relish the maa di dal.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Kali Dal or Maa ki dal
1: Pick the sabut urad dal (whole black gram with husks), rinse in water for 2 to 3 times. Later drain the water and soak the lentils in enough water in a bowl for about 30 to 40 minutes.
The soaking time can vary depending on the quality and age of the lentils. Sometimes even after soaking for an hour or so, these aged lentils take a lot of time to cook.
So you can soak sabut urad dal overnight or for some 4 to 5 hours. So if using old lentils or lentils near expiry date, soak them overnight. Later, drain the soaked dal.
2: Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Instead of ghee you can also use butter.
Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Keep the heat to low. When they sizzle and crackle, add 1 medium sized chopped onion (about 1/3 cup chopped onions).
3: Stirring at regular intervals, fry the onions till light brown or golden on low to medium-low heat.
4: Now add the pureed tomatoes. Stir and mix well.
5: Add the crushed ginger-garlic or ginger-garlic paste.
6: Add all the dry spice powders. In this below photo I have added the following ground spices one by one:
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
7: Stir the spice powders and mix well.
8: Then add 1 finely chopped green chili.
9: Saute the masala on a low to medium-low heat till the oil starts to leave or separate at the sides. Take care the masala does not burn while sauteing.
10: Add the drained and soaked sabut urad dal (black gram).
11: Add water and salt as required. Stir and mix well.
Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook the dal for some 20 to 25 minutes till the lentils are soft, tender and thoroughly cooked. When the pressure falls down naturally in the cooker then only open the lid.
Simmer the lentils on low to medium low heat stirring often. Mash some lentils with the spoon whiles the lentils are simmering. This helps to thicken the consistency of the dal.
Cook and simmer till you get a creamy consistency. I kept the maa ki dal a little thin as we prefer thin dals in summer. You can keep the consistency as per your preference.
Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve maa ki dal hot or warm with naan, kulcha, rotis or plain paratha. You can also have it with steamed basmati rice.
Maa ki dal | Kali Dal | Black Gram Dal | Sabut Urad Dal
Black gram dal or kali dal or maa ki dal is a popular and delicious Punjabi lentil dish made with sabut urad dal, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices.
Prep Time 35 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Soaking Lentils
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Pick the sabut urad dal and rinse in water for 2 to 3 times and soak it in water for 30 to 40 minutes. You can also soak the lentils for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, depending on the quality of dal. If the lentils are old or near expiry date, then soak overnight.
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Later drain the soaked sabut urad dal.
Making maa ki dal
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Heat ghee or oil in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Instead of ghee you can also use butter. Keep the heat to low. Add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle and crackle, then add chopped onions.
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Fry the onions stirring often till light brown or golden on low to medium-low heat.
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Add the pureed tomatoes. Stir and mix well.
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Next add the crushed ginger-garlic or ginger-garlic paste.
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Add the all the dry spice powders – coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder. Stir the spice powders and mix well.
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Add chopped green chilies.
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Saute the masala on a low to medium-low heat till the oil starts to leave or separate at the sides. Ensure that the masala does not burn while sauteing.
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Add the soaked sabut urad dal (black gram). Add water and salt as needed. Stir and mix well.
Cooking maa ki dal
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Cover the pressure cook for about 15 to 18 whistles or 18 to 20 minutes or till the lentils have become soft and buttery. If still they are not cooked well, then continue to pressure cook for a few more whistles.
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When the pressure falls down naturally in the cooker then only open the lid.
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If the dal looks thin, then simmer without the lid, till it reaches the desired consistency.
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Garnish with coriander leaves.
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Serve maa ki dal hot with naan, kulcha, rotis, plain paratha or plain boiled rice.
- You can make this maa ki dal less spicy or more spicy by adjusting the proportion of red chili powder and green chilies.
- Also this dal can be made thick or thin depending on what you prefer.
- You can also make Kali dal in the Instant pot using the same recipe but adding water as required.
- Use fresh lentils that are in their shelf period.
Nutrition Facts
Maa ki dal | Kali Dal | Black Gram Dal | Sabut Urad Dal
Amount Per Serving
Calories 211 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Sodium 640mg28%
Potassium 223mg6%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 706IU14%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 15mg18%
Vitamin E 2mg13%
Vitamin K 7µg7%
Calcium 53mg5%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 14µg4%
Iron 4mg22%
Magnesium 14mg4%
Phosphorus 27mg3%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Maa ki Dal post from the blog archives first published in April 2012 has been republished and updated on 22 January 2022.
Source: Dassana’s Veg Recipes
